Exhibition - Terms and Conditions Apply - Aaron Terry

Presented in Gallery 1

“Terms and Conditions Apply,” invites viewers to engage in two distinct ways: as passive observers or as active participants. This approach mirrors the capitalist practice of glossing over fine print of “Terms and Conditions,” where we often accept general terms without fully understanding their implications. Participants must decide whether to engage fully (in steps), forego the experience or have the chance to observe (from another vantage point located in a separate gallery space).

To enter the space, people must complete two cards labeled “Fear” and “Hope,” putting their defniitions in a collection box before passing through a turnstile. This process represents a commitment to engage thoughtfully, free from direct political pressure but encouraging personal reflection. While this mimics the “terms and conditions”, which late stage capitalism place on us all to participate, it is free of charge, inclusive and strips the action of any overt political demagoguery that is attached to politics today.

Next, participants choose coveralls (or not) while considering how to allocate them fairly among everyone. This choice is meant to be playful rather than overwhelming, avoiding the stress often caused by too many choices in a capitalist system (the “Paradox of Choice”). The goal is to encourage communal decision-making without knowing the exact outcomes.

Once inside, participants encounter a visually stimulating environment with changing colors, patterns and reflections. The environment is designed to provoke and challenge the participant’s sense of immersion and identity as an arbitrary activity rather than a “paradox of choice”.

A single window (located in the adjoining gallery) allows those outside to view the space, positioning them as observers and non-participants. This creates a dynamic where engagement or lack thereof becomes a statement on broader participation, whether in art, culture, or politics. The work emphasizes that engagement is not a one-step process but requires ongoing involvement and reflection at multiple levels.

About the Artist
Aaron Terry grew up as a kid with no electricity or running water in the woods of Upstate New York until fate brought his family to Philadelphia, where he grew into the city as a young adult. His biggest fear as a child was nuclear war or a bear attack. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Delaware in the Department of Art and Design, where he teaches Printmaking and serves as the Director of Graduate Studies. Terry’s previous teaching includes extensive work in the Bay Area at the San Francisco Art Institute and the California College of the Arts with a focus of work abroad in South America organizing arts and language programs in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru.

His creative work and research often address themes related to the Cold War and its enduring impact on contemporary politics, particularly the gap between the promised ideals of democracy and the realities of late-stage capitalism’s economic inequalities. Terry’s work utilizes printmaking techniques, explores the potential of multiples (visual and sonic) and as a re-usable or shared source material, and often incorporates interactive, public art practices.